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28
| BEAUTY LAUNCHPAD | FEBRUARY 2019
T
hird-generation stylist Sascha Breuer, founder of The Kind Cut
(@thekindcut), has spent the last 25 years as a traveling stylist and
educator—often living out of a suitcase, his work driving him from salon to
main stage to red carpet. But when he fi nally settled in Los Angeles, he realized that
the concept of home continued to elude plenty of others in his own backyard. "With
more time to think, I became aware of how many people don't have [a home]; in
L.A., the homeless are everywhere," Breuer says. "Rather than join the bandwagon
of negativity, I thought, 'What can I do with my skills to give back?'"
Scissors in tow, he took to the streets, cutting hair on the city's Skid Row for
months while reaching out to local shelters and nonprofi t organizations to offer help
at community outreach events. Meanwhile, he tapped social media to enlist fellow
stylists, who soon joined the cause in droves, cutting hair on their days off. In 2017,
when The Kind Cut participated in an event attended by 1,300 people in need, the
fl edgling effort became a full-blown movement—and Breuer is calling for fellow
stylists to take up the charge in their own communities. "I want to inspire and unite
the hairdressing and barbering community to give back," Breuer explains. "Use
your voice and your power to do something positive!"
Live & Learn/ Giving Back
Los Angeles charitable and social movement
The Kind Cut changes lives for the local homeless
community, one haircut at a time.
ÑTRACY MORIN
Street
Fighters
AN EMOTIONAL RETURN
ON INVESTMENT
Stylists know the transformation a cut
can provide clients—and that rings even
more true for those who are homeless,
according to Breuer, who has witnessed
the positive impact fi rsthand. With few
belongings, no possibility of routine and
wavering self-esteem, recipients fi nd a
simple haircut can change the game in
minutes. "We treat everyone with respect
and care, like any paying client," Breuer
notes. "After 30 minutes of physically and
emotionally connecting with someone at
eye level—no questions, no judgment—they
stand up with tears in their eyes and want
to hug you."
Hit the Pavement
With more than half a million people
experiencing homelessness across
the U.S., your help—whether
providing a haircut or handing out
food and clothing—is needed.
No matter where you are located,
you can get involved with The
Kind Cut by making a donation or
volunteering your services. Learn
more at thekindcut.org.
Recipients of
The Kind Cut gain a
renewed sense of
confi dence.
COURTESY
OF
THE
KIND
CUT